This is a review of genuine Yoobao Thunder 13000 mAh external battery: http://www.kevikev.com/Yoobao-Thunder-13000mah-Power-Bank-for-USB-Mobile-Devices-YBTHUNDER13000.htm
With so many reviews behind my belt, this is a first time I'm specifically referring to a product as "genuine". Here is a reason why. Yoobao is a popular Chinese manufacturer specializing in cases and batteries, but it's not that well known in the States because there are only 2 US dealers with www.kevikev.com being the only one verified by Yoobao (I actually checked that on Yoobao website). I came across HK products that look identical to these, but was informed by their sellers those weren't real Yoobao, only lookalike. That obviously turned me away, until I got an opportunity to review the real Yoobao product with samples provided to me directly from kevikev online store.
External batteries continue to push their capacity while maintaining small footprint. This Thunder model goes all the way up to 13000 mAh with a dimensions of approximately 136 mm x 74 mm x 28 mm. Higher capacity also means more battery cells and increased weight, which in case of Thunder is about 300g. I wouldn't call it pocket friendly, but you have to trust me - this is a kind of battery you want everybody to see due to how cool it looks! Personally, I wouldn't even call it Thunder but rather something like Ninja Warrior! That's how it looks to me It has a very solid hard plastic material on the top and the bottom and two end sides, while around the grip sides it has a red rubber material stamped with snow flake pattern. The power/control button is in a shape of a warrior mask where the eye light up blue/red depending on it's charging cycle. Also, there are 5 hidden light elements around it to indicate charging capacity of the battery partitioned in 20% increments. This battery has 3 ports, one micro-usb battery charging input, and two full size usb device charging outputs. In addition, it comes with a very bright torch LED light. A very nice bonus if you are in the dark (like during power loss) and need an extra light source which can last you over 500 hours at full battery charge, or just a way to light up usb ports so you can connect your smart phone or tablet. Along with Thunder battery, you get a high quality usb to micro-usb cable. I actually like the rubbery texture of that cable, it has a premium feel to it. Also you get Apple 30-pin adapter, and to my surprise a premium quality wall charger rated at 1A. This way you can use a wall charger with included cable to charge up the battery, and then use the same cable to charge up your device. This external battery came already pre-charged to about 80%, and when I was charging it up to 100% I felt wall charger getting a little warm, but nothing to be alarmed.
Even so this external battery looks very cool, it doesn't matter if it can't deliver. So here is what I found while putting it through my test. Since it already came pre-charged, I didn't have a chance to time a total charge up time. But since input is rated at 1A, we are talking about 12-13hr from empty due to its 13000 mAh capacity. The manual which comes with a battery mentions that Output 1 is rated at 1A while output 2 is rated at 1.5A. From my test I was able to to confirm that both outputs provide 1.6A of charging current which is what I typically see from most of the 2A wall chargers. This is a very good indicator that you can charger your Note 2 fast from either of the ports and don't have to worry if you are plugged into Output 1 or Output 2. For my test I actually had my N2 with ZL9k3 battery down to single % digits, and let it charge overnight. Yes, the rated capacity is 13000 mAh but the actual capacity available to phone/table battery will be less due to efficiency loss of conversion through 5V usb port. That is a know fact and common to every single external battery. According to my calculation of charging time and N2 battery percentage change I determined the actual capacity of Thunder to be around 8800-9000 mAh, which is very good and on par with 30-35% efficiency loss expected from these high capacity external batteries. This is a very impressive number considering you can fully charge your Zerolemon battery with Thunder or charge your N2 almost 3 times with stock battery.
Overall, this is one Awesome battery in terms of looks and performance!!! It's not your usual rectangular brick you keep for emergency out of sight. Thunder is something you would want to keep on your desk as a center piece to show off. And the cool looks are backed by a solid built and a great performance of high capacity and fast charging of your device. What is more important, you are dealing with an authorized Yoobao US dealer who will honor its 6-month warranty and can service/replace the product if you need to. This one gets my recommendation!
Also, I want to mention that I'm working on getting you guys an exclusive 10% off coupon for purchase of this battery... Here you go, hot off the press: the coupon code is kk001. It should work with this battery or any other purchase total of $50.
Here are some pictures for your enjoyment. I tried to take the last few in the dark so you can see LEDs better:
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I wonder how it compares to Anker 1300mAh external charger
VitaliyUvakin said:
I wonder how it compares to Anker 1300mAh external charger
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You mean Anker E4 13000 mAh? Very good point. They are identical in spec, even with torch led light Anker is a few dollars cheaper (considering 10% discount you can get with Thunder), and you get longer warranty with Anker. But from visual perspective - Thunder is in a class of it's own. It's not a regular rectangular box, but rather a gadget with personality. The way how it's shaped, the quality of the case material and side grips, that warrior-mask power button with eyes that light up (either blue or red) and shapes of the little indicator lights around it - the Cool factor adds to it's value. Just my opinion, and please don't hate me if I persuade you to buy yet another gadget you weren't even planning to get
Lol. No hate here and you absolutely right, tunder looks very sexy and appealing.
Now I just need to find an excuse why I need it , which won't be an easy.... since I'm rocking ZL, which is powerfull beast on its own
Looks pretty cool! Just not a fan of the glossy finish
apallohadas said:
Looks pretty cool! Just not a fan of the glossy finish
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Click to collapse
yep, forgot to mention it will be a fingerprint magnet. Well, at least you can trace it back and ID who touched your external battery
vectron said:
yep, forgot to mention it will be a fingerprint magnet. Well, at least you can trace it back and ID who touched your external battery
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I've been looking for an excuse to practice drawing prints off of batteries!
I'm selling this in Asia and i must say it's very popular. It's sold out the moment i gotten new stocks.
Max 1.5A seems to be a little slow at charging. Dig the design though.
IsolatedAbyss said:
Max 1.5A seems to be a little slow at charging. Dig the design though.
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Click to collapse
I confirmed both ports charging at 1.6A, exactly the same as my oem Samsung 2A wall charger. So you are guaranteed to charge it as fast as from a wall charger.
Im on the fence between this boy and anker.. decisions, decisions...
VitaliyUvakin said:
Im on the fence between this boy and anker.. decisions, decisions...
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There is also Yoobao 15,600 mAh battery for $59.99 and you can apply 10% off coupon to get a discount. That one is even higher capacity. http://www.kevikev.com/Yoobao-Thunderbolt-15600mah-Power-Bank-for-USB-Mobile-Devices-YBT-655.htm
Related
Weighs at only 8.8oz, it pack's 6,000 mAh battery in a small package, enough to charge your mobile phones and more. Perfect for everyday use, longer trips and emergency situations.
initial thoughts on unpacking.
comes in a pretty nice carry case pouch.small compact easy to carry around in your pocket, or bag. comes in many colors such as green apple,bright yellow,red rose,gloss black,and white pure ivory.i choose gloss black.
Features:
high-end Li-Polymer cell batteries with capacity of 6,000mAh (S3 battery is rated as ~2,100mAh)
Two power outputs (1.2A and 2.1A) for two different charging speeds, charging your device while charging the moonstone can be done at the same time.other power banks i have tried could not accomplish these two feats at the same time.
Compatible with any cell phone, or tablet with micro USB connection, such as Blackberry, HTC, Samsung, Motorola, LG, etc.In theory you could even use it with any usb powered device as long as you have the proper usb cords.
specs below
Input:
DC 5V
Output: USB1: DC 5V/1.2A; USB2: DC 5V/2.1A
Battery capacity: 6,000 mAh
Dimension: 3.2 x 3.2 x 0.4 inches (81.28mm x 81.28mm x 1.016mm)
Weight: 8.8oz (249.476gram)
the moonstone can hold charge for up to 6 months.
charging up the moonstone takes about 8hrs overnight.
cracking it open we find 2 3000mAh slim batteries wedges in series on top of each other.
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this battery is a beast. It packs a quit decent capacity in a small convenient package which is fairly compact and light. Simple to use there is a single button on the top that, when depressed.shows a light bar scale of the charge
I will be updating this thread over the next week with real world results and usage details. myself along with my wife both owning galaxy S3's,as well as a few asus tablets.will have ample different device types to charge and check functionality on.so far it took about 2hrs to fully charge my s3 from 1%. still have 3 bars left on the battery bank out of 4.
bottom line This is a straightforward device - if you're looking for a way to extend your phones battery life while out and about,this does exactly what you need.small sleek and portable. With all of the portable battery options out there, the Moonstone 6000 stands out due to its unique design and valued accessories.The carrying case is a nice touch, and the extra USB cable that can be easily rolled up is even nicer. I highly recommend this battery charger to anyone looking for a small portable power source.
see pics.
not quit sure what the stickers were about or the key. but i figured out the fish is a usb cable wrap. pretty cool.
upon on boxing everything it came with minus the nice draw string felt carry bag.
i got bored after the review. I decided to do some customization to the case after i had it open for the battery pics.so i vinyl wrapped it. so now it looks like he has a tie when it charges. lol
Amazon Storefront: http://www.amazon.com/gp/shops/lepow
current deal on the Moonstone 6000 in Apple Green: Reduced to $29.99 from $59.99
And starting next Monday (11/25) until Black Friday, it will be decreased even more to: $24.99 from $59.99
sample provided for review.
manufacturers would you like your product reviewed? contact me......
$24.99 is a very good price for 6000 mAh battery. And with other goodies, definitely a great value.
Is that usb stick included in there? How about that suction pad, does it work with moonstone attached to it and stuck to a flat surface? I have noticed that shape of moonstone is not flat, more like a pebble. Just wondering if the extra suction pad is intended to secure it to a surface? Also, not sure if you can run free Galaxy Charging Current app (i know its free for Note 2, S4, Note 3, but not sure if you have to pay to use it for S3) or maybe any other apps or read it from your Rom the actual charging current?
vectron said:
$24.99 is a very good price for 6000 mAh battery. And with other goodies, definitely a great value.
Is that usb stick included in there? How about that suction pad, does it work with moonstone attached to it and stuck to a flat surface? I have noticed that shape of moonstone is not flat, more like a pebble. Just wondering if the extra suction pad is intended to secure it to a surface? Also, not sure if you can run free Galaxy Charging Current app (i know its free for Note 2, S4, Note 3, but not sure if you have to pay to use it for S3) or maybe any other apps or read it from your Rom the actual charging current?
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I actually just checked charge. Fast charge placed at 1.13a normal was around 896ma. That's to my s3.says it has adaptive charge to protect phone circuit. I'll try. You tablet tomorrow All the stuff pictured came with it. Ya the suction pad works well. The USB stick is actually a microsd adapter. I'll pot more updates after a full week of testing with it.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk
Putting out some good juice today time from 10‰ till full and charge rate. Pretty good.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk
This adaptive charging on this bank is sweet
Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk
This is a review of Anker 2nd gen Astro Pro2 20000 mAh external battery. http://www.ianker.com/product/79AN7906-BA, and amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NGLTZQ/
In case if you thought I took a break from reviewing external batteries - I didn't. I was looking for something new and original, not another cookie-cutter re-branded battery. Funny how everytime I start my journey to find a cool new original battery product with a great value, I always end up coming back to yet another new release from Anker. As I mentioned so many times in the past, this company is working very hard to stay at the top of the game with new products and ideas. They switched to environmentally safe carton packaging (no plastic what so ever), updated to 2nd gen with more efficient modules having 80% efficiency in comparison to every other external battery out there with only 65%-70% efficiency, and introduced 10-led capacity indicators with their 2nd gen Astro modules. So where do you go from there? - 2nd gen Astro Pro2 with a whooping 20000 mAh (that's 20k mAh) capacity.
As I mentioned above, the battery arrived in Anker's new standard all carton packaging which is environmentally safe and no-hassle to open. Being a super high capacity, don't expect a lightweight portable module. I have seen a lot of other cheap 20000 mAh batteries in the past, all in a lightweight small footprint. That would be the first red flag to claim a high capacity without a "weight" behind it Astro Pro2 is about 6.5" x 4.5" x 0.6" and weight of 488 g. It's not pocket friendly, but with included drawstring storage pouch and considering relatively slim profile - it would make a great travel companion in your briefcase or luggage. The case is very durable all metal with a brushed aluminum black finish which I found to be scratch resistant. Other accessories include usb to micro-usb cable, tablet charging cable (for Asus and Acer tablets with 5.5mm x 2.1mm jack), and AC outlet charging cable. With such high capacity charging this battery from usb charger will take a very long time, so the charging is done from 12V/2A wall charger where you can get full charge from zero in under 6 hours.
Once you start charging you will notice something that is extremely rare for external batteries - a back lit LCD display with actual % indicator number in 1% increments. There is no guessing with 4 leds or even 10 leds, you will know exactly the charging capacity and when using this battery - the exact remaining battery capacity. This capacity could be checked at any point by pushing multi-function button on the side of the battery. Also, when you hold this button down for 3sec, you will see a flashing 9V or 12V which can be selected with the same button. To accommodate some of the common Acer and Asus tablets with 5.5mm x 2.1mm jack, you can use included cable attached to DC Output port where you get 9V / 2A or 12V / 1.5A output. If you have some other tablet or camera or another gadget that require 9V or 12V voltage and uses a unique charging tip, you can get for $10 a collection of 28 different tips like these: http://www.amazon.com/Vktech-Universal-5-5x2-1mm-Adapter-Notebook/dp/B00CMMO6AE/
But the stars of this external battery are 3x smart usb outputs, each being able to supply up to 2.4A. When all ports are connected, you can't exceed the maximum 4.5A current, but still it's very impressive considering you could be charging 3 separate devices at high speed from such a high capacity source. Also, the charging starts automatically once you plug in the cable. 20000 mAh is obviously the max capacity of the internal battery, but as you know it's typically 3.7V which has to be converted to 5V usb interface where the efficiency of Astro Pro2 is only 80% of the actual capacity, 16000 mAh. This is VERY impressive because today most of the external batteries on the market have actual capacity which is only 2/3 of the max advertised one.
Overall, I found this battery to be of a VERY high quality with a tough attractive built, multi-port smart charging capability including flexibility of 9V/12V charging, 1% increment charge/capacity LCD indicator, and one of the best warranty coverages with 18-months of support. Considering all that and enormous capacity of 20000 mAh with 80% efficiency, the price of $79.99 is actually a bargain for such product.
Here are the pictures.
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Great review as always!!! I'm thinking about returning my zerolemon and pick up 1 of these
Sent from my SCH-I605 using xda app-developers app
Ordered the Anker 2nd gen Astro 3 12000mAH. Will get it Wednesday and give my review.... Stay tuned! bTW don't buy or use the zerolemon battery case for the N4 it week fry your battery!!!!
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
where did you order your Pro2 from? i cant find it anywhere!!
Squeeker the Cat said:
where did you order your Pro2 from? i cant find it anywhere!!
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I knew these will be sold out, so I included Amazon link in the original review as well (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NGLTZQ/). As you can see it's currently unavailable because they out of stock. Keep checking or just email them directly to find out when it's back in stock.
Is there any site or shop selling it to Europe? I can only find the first gen on Amazon UK.
Video Review
Great review, like always!
Here's a video review if someone is interested:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W84Xm4YzMIU
Much thanks!
The only place I could find any reference to requiring other adaptors for the DC part. At least I know now.
I have a vzw note 3. I would like to buy a portable charger small enough to carry in my pocket and provide 1 full charge so probably need 5000 mah unit. I want safety, quality, and portability. I prefer something containing quality brand battery like Samsung or Panasonic/Sanyo and I don't want to worry about a power surge frying my phone. I prefer a product available from a USA dealer.
Suggestions?
recDNA said:
I have a vzw note 3. I would like to buy a portable charger small enough to carry in my pocket and provide 1 full charge so probably need 5000 mah unit. I want safety, quality, and portability. I prefer something containing quality brand battery like Samsung or Panasonic/Sanyo and I don't want to worry about a power surge frying my phone. I prefer a product available from a USA dealer.
Suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just search for other Anker batteries, find the size and the capacity you need and go for it!
vectron said:
Just search for other Anker batteries, find the size and the capacity you need and go for it!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A lot of users report units break after 3 or 4 months.
recDNA said:
A lot of users report units break after 3 or 4 months.
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Click to collapse
This is 2+ year old product, and wasn't even an original Anker design, if I'm not mistaken. Most of their stuff in the last 1-2 years has been original. But either way, Pro 2 has 1200 reviews on Amazon with 91% 4-5 Star reviews, and another 4% of 3-stars just have critical comments about performance.
I can tell you with certainty since I review a lot of products from many different manufacturers - most of the 1-2 star reviews are fake and written by competitors.
This is a review of the Anker Astro Mini 3200mAh External Battery. The product's official page can be found here. It is for sale in the US on Amazon.com and is currently $19.99 with a list price of $39.99.
Before I get started, I was provided a sample by Anker and asked to give my unbiased thoughts on the product. You should know that I absolutely love Anker products, but that does not mean I am going to love everything they make.
I also own 3x of the Anker E5 16000mAh External Batteries, their E1 5200mAh External Battery, and some of their other 5x and 2x port USB wall chargers. I have also owned external batteries from other manufacturer's as well.
For my testing, I tested throughout the week with my Samsung Galaxy S 4 phone with the stock OEM battery. I currently have OmniROM Nightlies on it, and while it is good on battery life, stock ROMs may have different results.
The product box is a cute 4.25"x4.5"x2.5" cube. As with most if not all Anker products, the box is lightweight cardboard with a paper slip cover.
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Some other unboxing and size comparison photos below:
As with most Anker products I have unboxed, the feeling I get with their products even before using the actual product is that the packaging is very well designed and thought out. Their graphics design team has a great eye for presenting their product with integrity. I really enjoy the documentation they include, which includes a simple card with contact/support info if you aren't happy with the product, as well as social media links suggesting you follow them and review their product on Amazon. With tons of similar products on the market, it is often these little things that keep consumers (including me) coming back for more. In fact, if you read the product features, one of them is "friendly customer service". The warranty on this product is 18 months, which is great for such an inexpensive battery.
The unit feels very well made. It doesn't feel like there is any wasted space. I was provided a gold colored sample and print is all white, which is hard to read. I can't tell if the print is laser etched or a light silk screen. That said, it is probably more attractive than big, bold black text on the unit. At 80g / 2.8oz, this thing is light!
The included mesh bag is similar to those that other Anker products include, but it measures 5"x2.5", which seems large on this tiny battery. It looks like this bag was designed for another product but included with this one. In fact, it appears to be the perfect size and shape for my Anker E1 5200 mAh battery that didn't include a mesh bag. These bags are great because it gives you a way to store the cable with the battery without leaving the cable plugged in, potentially damaging the cable and port while in your bag or pocket. The included cable is white and is approximately 28" in length. One thought I had is that if this battery is marketed to iPhone and Android users alike, why is only a micro USB cable included? Granted, it is certainly cheaper than an Apple Lightning cable, but keep in mind that the product page only shows an iPhone with a cable plugged in, so that could be misleading.
I generally use external batteries of at least 5,000 mAh. Given the Galaxy S 4 internal battery is 2600mAh, if I'm on the go for a day and really active on the phone using GPS, Internet, music, etc, I'm always afraid these little chargers aren't going to last me very long. That said I put this in my pocket for the day and made myself use it exclusively. The first time I used it, I'll admit, I did not charge it first. I wanted to see how it would behave and how I would react to not knowing how much charge was left in it. The unit has one LED and one button. There is no gauge for capacity remaining other than the LED will flash twice if the charge is less than 2%. Not much of a warning here. So on the first discharge from the unit, I got about 45 minutes until the battery just shut off. And that was it... as expected. With other batteries that feature gauges, there is often a 4-5 segment meter indicating percentage ranges of capacity left. This is a feature that is hugely missing from this little 3200mAh charger, but given it's compact size, it is completely understandable. On this battery, once you plug in your device, you do need to press the button on the battery to turn it on and begin charging. An auto-current detect would be nice so you don't forget to press the power button and end up not charging at all.
I charged the unit using the Anker 20W Dual USB Wall Charger. I first attempted the charge through a PLX Devices Legion USB Meter to measure the charge current. This will vary between wall chargers and even the current draw from the battery. I tried this with the Anker charger and my Samsung Galaxy S 4 OEM Charger (2A) and got the same 0.85A-0.90A charge rate. The documentation says input current is 0.8A max, so getting 0.9A is a nice surprise. At 0.8A charge, and if the battery was drained to 3,000mA, we can expect a full charge to take approximately 4.5 hours.
After my first full charge, I measured charge current output to other devices. I charged my Galaxy S 4 with 50% battery left, and also tried charging an Anker E5 16000 mAh battery just for kicks. On the Legion Meter, I saw anywhere from 0.6A to 0.97A.
The specifications for this battery state it is capable of 1A max charge. This is where we get into the question, "Is this product right for my device?" It does have Anker's PowerIQ technology with claims to deliver the most efficient charge for your device. That said, my Galaxy S 4 ships with a 2A charger, and I can verify that it WILL charge at up to 2A. So, comparing this battery with a wall charger just isn't fair because, it won't charge your device nearly as fast. I noticed this while using it throughout the week too. If the phone is under heavy CPU load, the phone very well may drain faster than it can charge. However, I during testing I used the phone moderately and can say that the phone DID reach 100% charge without a problem.
Browsing Amazon.com, I noticed that RAVPower has a nearly identical device with almost the exact size, color options, and features. The differences I noticed include the RAVPower has a flashlight on the end, the warranty is only 12 months, and a travel pouch is not listed as included. The RAVPower unit is also $17.99 at the time of this writing. That said, I do not know if Anker and RAVPower are in any way affiliated with each other since these are nearly the same, and even their websites look nearly identical. Both only sell on Amazon as well. The Anker model is available in other countries whereas the RAVPower seems only available in the USA.
I know some consumers would prefer this "lipstick" style charger. It will fit nearly anywhere. However, I do not see the appeal other than size, shape, and color to choose this over the Astro E1 battery, which has 60% more capacity, a 4-segment LED showing capacity remaining, and charges at 2A current instead of only 1A. Both are currently $19.99 on Amazon.com as of this writing. If you want functionality, I'd go with the Astro E1. If you need tiny or a colorful unit, perhaps this 3200 mAh lipstick battery is for you.
I will continue to use this battery as another backup, and even hand it off to my girlfriend for some thoughts. I'll update this post with new information as I gather it. If anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
[Review][20,000mAh Vinsic Portable Power Bank]
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I was in the market for a large capacity power bank and really liked the look of this one on Amazon. Shipping was very fast as it was fulfilled and shipped by Amazon. In this review i will go over the Features, First impressions and Final thoughts after using the power bank for some time.
Features:
Ultra-slim design with a hard plastic & aluminum alloy construction
High capacity 20,000mAh
Two USB charging ports (5v-1.0A/ 5v-2.1A)
Micro USB input for charging the power bank (5v-2A)
Blue LED digital charge indicator
Built in over-charge, and short circuit protection
Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.8 x 0.5 inches
Compatible with any USB charged products such as iPod, iPhone, iPad, Android tablets and phones, ETC.
First impressions:
After receiving the power bank the first thing i noticed and was pleased with was the packaging. When you buy a product you expect there to be in professional and quality packaging and they definitely did that with this power bank. After unpacking the power bank and holding it i was very pleased with the aluminum alloy construction. When researching power banks the materials used was one of the main factors for me choosing this one over some of the others on the market and im glad i did, In the hand the build quality and construction feels premium just like my HTC one and iPhone. While it is a slim unit i would not say its the lightest power bank it is after all 20,000mAh capacity which is a larger power bank . If you are interested in smaller lighter package you will also be shrinking the battery capacity so that was something i wasn't willing to compromise on. First thing i noticed during use was the digital LED capacity readout. This is a premium feature that also was a top factor for me choosing this power bank. With a quick slide of your finger across the read out screen you can see exactly the charge you have left, No more relying on the few led lights the other banks have to judge how much juice you have left. Overall my first impressions of the power bank was very positive. Between the premium build quality and features included i was very happy with my choice. Amazon LINK
Final Thoughts:
After using the Power Bank for some time my initial opinion did not change, In fact im not sure how i lasted before without one. The quality of the unit is outstanding, Being constructed from aluminum gives it some serious durability, and looks brand new after heavy use wile camping, traveling, beach trips, and school/ work. The battery capacity is outstanding, as a power user Ive always found myself killing my phone battery far to early in the day and now i always have a charger even wile away from on outlet. Ive also found it very useful for camping trips and power outages due to the large capacity you can charge many items on one single power bank charge which is very handy in those situations. Overall am very pleased with my purchase. Between the stylish build, quality of materials used and the overall charging performance i would recommend this to anyone in the market for a power bank. Amazon LINK
good job
This product actually looks awesome. The body is aluminum and I just loved the digital battery level indicator. I also use a Nexus 5 and when I am off to a trip I am always worried about my phone is about to die because when LTE, GPS is on and you're using camera with HDR it takes no time no drain the battery. I think this product can definitely solve the problem as it is very powerful.
I think its awesome
Great review, I'm looking to add some external power as I own a nexus 9 and 6 so this is a great buy.
Interesting thing... I think that I will buy one to charge my phone when I use it as a GPS on my motorbike....
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Hmm this seems interesting it's been a couple days since you had it, any new updates on battery life and etc?
Do you think that is possible to charge it by a solar panel?
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Holy, it's so big. Also good review!
SkyMidnight said:
Holy, it's so big. Also good review!
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Big battery = big device..
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I have it also, really great device...
This one really hold my needs for power! I charge tablets and phones from it and totally forgot how it is to find out that your device is out of juice...
Tested it really thoroughly. Real capacity, it have LG Li-Po cells inside thats a thumb up for quality.
20000mAh is a really worth the price.
Tough and durable aluminum body saved it for me already from some falls and blows that other plastic power banks didn't hold...
Some images
The Cells
The PCB, really nice build...
The bank
The currents - it really can charge thing fast 2.1A on fast charging post or split to two..
I really recommend it, i threw away all my other power banks.. all the banks that were not real capacity and were total waste of money.
Hope the info helps someone...
How much it weight?
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siggey said:
How much it weight?
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1.4 pounds
So 500g
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siggey said:
So 500g
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not exactly..It's around 535g
meneses01 said:
not exactly..It's around 535g
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You are true, I rounded it.
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georgyros said:
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And that's why this thing sucks:
Sold as being able to charge 2.1A ... only delivers barely above 1A
Forget about charging an iPad or tablet with this.
andTab said:
And that's why this thing sucks:
Sold as being able to charge 2.1A ... only delivers barely above 1A
Forget about charging an iPad or tablet with this.
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Hehe funny, you can clearly see in the image that it gives ~2A. this is what my cell phone and tablet took in that specific moment.
this charger gives the stated 2.1A if your device able to take it..
i have tested it by putting heating element on the so called smart port that gives the 2.1A and it handle this without a problem.
in order to discharge it fully from 100% to 0 took me ~7 hours...
andTab said:
And that's why this thing sucks:
Sold as being able to charge 2.1A ... only delivers barely above 1A
Forget about charging an iPad or tablet with this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe a low quality usb cable
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With a power of 20,000 mah can it power a laptop? or a phone only?
This is a Review of Xiaomi Mi 20000 mAh dual external battery.
After a few of my recent external batteries reviews I was asked if/when am I going to review the latest offering from Xiaomi, and in general how come I haven't reviewed any of the Mi batteries in the past. It wasn't a matter of not being able to obtain a review sample, but rather a problem with making sure it's a real product from a trusted source. Xiaomi established themselves as one of the top choices in budget-priced gear, and due to their popularity the market is now flooded with knockoffs which sometime hard to tell apart (Xiaomi Pistons is a good example of that). Luckily, <mod snip> is among a few trusted on-line retailers that work directly with Xiaomi distributors, selling their original licensed products. Please keep that in mind, it's not just about the product but also where you buy it to guarantee you're getting a genuine smartphone accessory. And with that "public announcement" out of the way, let's proceed to the review.
Unboxing & Accessories.
The product arrived in a small plain white box, no fancy graphics, no colorful images, just a plain "Mi" and a spec on a side in Chinese. One thing to note, there was an authenticity sticker on the side, what looks like a genuine Xiaomi label. I have enough experience to know these stickers could be duplicated, but in this case it was a real deal because I trust the source I got it from. With minimalistic box you also get a single accessory, a flat usb to micro-usb cable - high quality and very durable, all in white. The whole theme of a plain white box, a simple white battery enclosure, and a simple white usb cable can remind you of "Apple" products - clean and simple.
One missing accessory is usb to usb-c cable. I didn't even know about it until I read on <mod snip>: Mi 20k mAh battery can recharge a new MacBook with usb type-c cable, which makes sense considering it supports 5V 3.6A output. Not sure why they are not advertising it directly because it's a big marketing point for this battery, supporting USB-C technology which has been implemented in the latest MacBook, Google Chromebook Pixel, and Nexus 6P smartphone.
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Design.
This minimalistic packaging also caries over to minimalistic plain white design with just a simple "Mi" stamped on the top. Even the label on the back edge is printed in light gray on white which makes it hard to read, and still has a very minimalistic discrete look. But when you take a closer look, you realize there is more to it. To keep the weight down, amazingly enough for 20k mAh battery which is only 338g, Xiaomi used a durable yet environmentally safe combination of PC+ABS plastic with a very fine bumps that make surface anti-skid and anti-scratch. Also, considering such a huge capacity, the dimensions are only 142mm x 73mm x 22 mm, making it among the smallest and the lightest batteries in 20k+ category.
Looking at the top side edge of the battery you will find a single power button which turns on 4-led power indicator to let you know about the remaining storage capacity. I didn't have to press power button to start charging my phone. On the front edge, you will find 2 full size usb Output ports, one micro-usb Input charging port, and 4-leds indicating the remaining capacity or the charging capacity (when re-charging the battery). This 4-led indicator was really a step back for me considering you get only 25% incremental granularity, while I got spoiled by Anker and their 10-led segment indicators. Not really sure why Xiaomi decided to have such a simplistic power indicator, though I'm guessing they probably wanted to keep it small without taking too much room.
Specification and operation.
Obviously this battery wasn't marketed for worldwide release because instructions are all in Chinese, and this is why I do appreciate that Gearbest put as much info as possible in English on their website: Mod Edit by @Darth : Link to online store removed. . Reading specification and looking through some of the marketing pictures REALLY clears up what's under the hood of this battery.
First of all is a charging micro-usb input to recharge the battery itself. 20,000 mAh is a huge capacity, so forget about using any of your outdated 1A or 1.5A wall chargers. <mod snip> mentions "Support DC 5V / 2A, 9V / 2A, 12V / 1.5A quick recharging" - which is a dead giveaway of QC2.0. Of course, it also supports a regular fast 5V @ 2A charging, but it's nice to have both options. Either way, it will take about 7-8 hours to fully recharge the battery, which is not bad for such high capacity.
In my test, I found with a regular 2A charger I got: 5.33V @ 2.01A
And using Samsung Fast Charger: 6.62V @ 1.63A
When it comes to the charging output of dual USB ports, those support 5.1V with max 3.6A output. That translates into up to 2A for a typical smartphone charging and 3A for USB-C charging. I can't test/verify USB-C since I don't have any devices supporting it yet, but it's a great feature to have in order to future-proof your charger. With usb charging, I was able to confirm it with my Note 4 and it's on par with all of my other 2A chargers, and btw 2A is "max" so the actual charging speed is usually less, where in case of my phone it was about 4.96V @ 1.71A
Another thing to keep in mind is close to 90% efficiency of conversion, considering going from internal battery of Mi to 5V USB port and then through usb cable to your phone and back from 5V micro-usb to internal battery (all this involving a typical 3.7V to 5V conversion with some loses due to efficiency). So realistically you are looking at close to 18k mAh of usable capacity.
Conclusion.
Doesn't take a rocket scientist to realize that I was impressed with this battery Due to a lack of access to USB-C devices, I can't test it to its full potential, but I still found it to be among the smallest and the lightest 20,000 mAh batteries I have tested to date. Yeah, the battery is not fancy with aluminum enclosure or better led power indicator, unfortunately you will have to live with a plastic shell and 4-led indicator, but it's still a quality build with a packed functionality, high capacity, full 9S circuit protection, and the big one - priced under $35 shipped free from <mod snip>. But the most important factor is that you can have a piece of mind knowing it's a real Xiaomi product, not a knockoff.
thx man!
S o l v e d
dealova2008 said:
S o l v e d
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Sorry if I missed the question, what did you "solve" ?
Btw, I few people contacted me asking about the link where I got the battery. I think something was wrong with my original link, so it was deleted by moderators. It is still available for $35 from Gearbest, www.gearbest.com/iphone-power-bank/pp_263761.html, the best price I found so far. On ebay they go between $38-$45.
nice review!
vectron said:
Sorry if I missed the question, what did you "solve" ?
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I finally knew that to recharged Xiaomi power banks at maximum amps (2A) , we must use the original 2A chargers comes with phones.
Because if using multi-port aftermarket chargers like ANKER 60W & PowerPort 4, I can only get Max. 1.6A
Still want to hear from ANKER.